Grieving family aggravated by criminals' release

VICTORVILLE • It was heart wrenching for Trevor Neiman's family and friends who gathered at Victorville Superior Court dressed in identical black T-shirts to commemorate the murdered former Marine.

In one courtroom on Friday, Richard Monroe Harris was sentenced to 33 years to life for stabbing Neiman in the head with a knife in May 2009. In another courtroom, Johnny Acosta, who allegedly struck and killed 25-year-old Neiman with a ball-peen hammer in November, appeared for a pre-trial hearing.

What's shocking is that both Acosta and Harris had been convicted of killings in the past — but both had walked free to prey again.

Acosta pleaded guilty in 1993 to voluntary manslaughter and attempted rape of an Upland woman. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison but was released on parole in half the time in 2004 for his good behavior. He got off probation in 2007.

"I don't understand how criminals can be good little boys in prison and get home early so they can repeat it," said Neiman's mother, Lorale Neiman, fighting back tears. "Because if Acosta had not been released, my son would still be alive. I just can't get behind it. It just tears me up every day. I wake up every night seeing Trevor and this crazy man."

Prior to assaulting Trevor Neiman, Harris had already had three strikes on his record — shooting at an inhabited dwelling in 1995, vehicular manslaughter in 1996 and assault with a deadly weapon in 2008. He has also been convicted of auto theft and inflicting injury on a spouse. He has admitted to being a Skinheads gang member, according to the probation officer's report.

"It's aggravating to think that someone with that kind of a violent history is continuously released back into society to affect other families," said Victoria Hardesty, Lorale Neiman's mother. "I know the terror that my family went through."

Hardesty said the family's goal is to change the law so violent offenders would not get released into society, preventing them from committing another crime.

For the full story, read Sunday's Press Dispatch.

Tomoya Shimura may be reached at tshimura@VVDailyPress.com or (760) 955-5368. To subscribe to the Daily Press in print or online, call (760) 241-7755, 1-800-553-2006 or click here.